Sunday 14 May 2017

Sunday 14th May 2017 - official start of pilot programs

Posted 1:20pm
Well, after last week's prelim week where we introduced ourselves and our program to the SHP group, tomorrow is the start of the official project, and we are all very excited.
Sadly the DAI one has definitely been cancelled - although we have asked to meet with the organisers to discuss the possibility of one off events that we can manage - I think this would better suit the needs of their service users, and we would also be able provide suitable outcomes.

But tomorrow morning we meet with our group - 11 people are on this first pilot.  We will be covering "mindset", "budgeting", and "introduction to fitness" - we will also be promoting our extra events - such as gym sessions, two day outs, PT sessions, and Izzwalkz.  I really believe we can show our unique proactive approach can bring results.

We are also meeting up with Ian from the Islington DWP Job Centres to discuss the 6 June pilot we will be running with people from the Job Centre.  I want to be able to go into the centres this week and promote the project and see if we can pick up 12-15 people.  This will only be a 7 week course, but I know we can organise ourselves on this.

Tomorrow we are handing out files to each participant on the course,  This will include a planner, showing all the significant dates on the course.  We will also be giving each individual a weekly "exercise diary" - where our PT Dean has sorted out specific exercises for each to do daily.  This will grow throughout the length of the course.
There will also be sheets on the trip to the Arsenal Emirates Stadium, the Bags Of Taste Cookery course, the Gym sessions at the St Pancras Gym, the PT sessions we will be running with Dean, the Izzwalkz initiative, the First Aid Course we have organised with Red Cross, and talking about visits from the NHS Smoking team and the Oral Health Team.  As you can see, we are being very proactive. We want to get people out of the flat/house/hostel - in the fresh air, pushing themselves.

Over the next nine weeks we will not just be concentrating on the course though (courses with the DWP). Over the next fortnight we aim to get more videos filmed - we did some the other day but the sound was not good. We also will get a couple of "funding" pages live - with GoFundMe and CrowdFunding sites. It is very very difficult to keep going without at least some money coming in, and is very frustrating to see everyone excited by our work without actually seeing funding.
There is a huge amount of general admin to get through, and we are hopeful that one of our London Catalyst or Gunners Fund applications may bring some dosh in.

Personally, I am pushing myself on this course too. I want to lose some weight, as well as hit the mark on some other targets I want to set myself. I think ow the program is starting it will be easier for me. Dean, our PT, is going to put me through my paces too. Yay!!!

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